Manchester United boss David Moyes sees off threat for now but the doubts linger

It is an outcome that his predecessor would have spat at but it was one that David Moyes would always have taken, because the consequences of something more serious really did not bear contemplation.

Rumours had been circulating around one of the leading broadcasters all day that a catastrophe of the proportions many feared would have seen Ryan Giggs installed as Manchester United manager this morning. It made the day edgy and angst-ridden. A score of 2-0, 3-0 or 4-0 against United seemed to be the range of expectation and though talk of Moyes’ dismissal has been indignantly batted away by those at the top of Old Trafford in the past few weeks, it was a game which asked if there is any way back under this management from the place where United find themselves.

That question remains unanswered today, though the predicted narrative was certainly scrambled. United did acceptably well. Their defence held out in the teeth of a formidable first-half challenge. Rio Ferdinand resembled the player he has so often been. Nemanja Vidic showed that he wants his United time to end with something significant. Alexander Buttner, the source of much black humour when the thought of Arjen Robben on the Bayern right cropped up, acquitted himself at least as well as he would have hoped.

A half-time tactical switch by Moyes worked to the extent that he could reflect on having out-thought Pep Guardiola. It closed down the threat that Robben had caused as he zig-zagged through United. It was followed by a gutsy United goal. We even saw an opposition player dismissed. Not so “typical Germans”.

Manchester United v Bayern Munich player ratings

Manchester United v Bayern Munich player ratings

1/27
David De Gea - 6

Rarely tested despite Bayern’s dominance –saved well from a bending Robben effort and commanded his area well but could do nothing about Schweinsteiger’s thumping equaliser.

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2/27
Phil Jones - 7

A solid performance at right back – fought hard all night and did his part in a strong defensive unit.

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3/27
Rio Ferdinand - 7

Put in a strong performance alongside Vidic to limit Bayern to very few clear sights of goal.

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4/27
Nemanja Vidic - 8

Made countless vital interceptions as he led the United defence and topped his man of the match performance with a fine headed goal.

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5/27
Alex Buttner - 7

A doubt before the game – the Dutch youngster lasted 74 minutes as he competed gamely and fought well against the double threat of Robben and Rafinha.

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6/27
Michael Carrick - 7

Helped to prevent Bayern being given too much time on the ball around the United box and distributed well when given the occasional opportunity to set United on the counter.

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7/27
Marouane Fellaini - 6

A shocking first half as he gave the ball away far too regularly in dangerous positions as he struggled to cope with Bayern’s pressing – better after half-time as he won and retained possession more successfully.

8/27
Ryan Giggs - 6

Struggled to make a huge impact on the game as Bayern dominated but retained possession well for his side - withdrawn at half-time with a groin strain.

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9/27
Antonio Valencia - 7

Showed great energy as he flew up and down the right wing helping out his defence and looking to provide an outlet when United countered – lucky not be sent off for a reckless lunge on Boateng having been booked early on.

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10/27
Shinji Kagawa - 6

The man who has never lost to Bayern Munich was bright after replacing Giggs at half time – won the corner from which United took the lead.

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11/27
Danny Welbeck - 7

Posed a threat to the Bayern defence with his athleticism – unfortunate to have an early strike ruled out for a high boot but should have done better when presented with United’s chance of the game as he tried to dink the ball over Neuer.

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12/27
Wayne Rooney - 7

United’s classiest performer again – Rooney often grabbed possession for his side when he had no right to do so and drove his side forward whenever possible – Delivered the corner from which Vidic gave United the lead.

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13/27
Ashley Young - 6

Brought on for the final 15 minutes – managed to deliver a couple of dangerous crosses.

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14/27
Javier Hernandez - 6

A cameo performance from the Mexican saw him almost break through on goal as Javier Martinez was forced to haul him down and take a yellow card.

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15/27
Manuel Neuer - 6

A spectator for much of the game but was off his line swiftly to save when Welbeck was allowed through on goal in the first half – powerless to stop Vidic’s pinpoint accurate header.

16/27
Rafinha - 8

His continuous raids up field from right back allowed Bayern to pull United from side to side – finally provided a telling contribution when his delivery led to Schweinsteiger’s equaliser.

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17/27
Javi Martinez - 6

The Spaniard was rarely tested but appeared vulnerable when faced with the physical threat of Welbeck and then hauled down Hernandez late on to pick up a yellow card that will see him miss the second leg.

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18/27
Jerome Boateng - 6

The former City man had little defending to do as he returned to Manchester but was exposed when Welbeck shrugged off his challenge to go through on goal.

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19/27
David Alaba - 7

Spent more time attacking than defending as he helped to stretch the United defence – did a solid job against Valencia and then Young on the defensive end.

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20/27
Philipp Lahm - 6

The Bayern captain helped his side to control the game from midfield but like many of his teammates failed to produce a real moment of quality going forward and faded a little in the second half as the hosts grew in stature.

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21/27
Bastian Schweinsteiger - 7

Played a key part in Bayern’s first half dominance and provided a telling contribution as he finished in style from Mandzukic’s knock down – however his night was ruined late on as he was sent off having picked up a second yellow for bringing down Rooney.

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22/27
Arjen Robben - 8

Bayern’s biggest threat all evening - came in off the right flank to cause problems for the United defence and almost added to his collection of Old Trafford goals on a number of occasions.

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23/27
Toni Kroos - 6

A quiet evening for the man who has been regularly linked with a move to Manchester – neat and tidy but will have failed to convince the United faithful he is worth big bucks on this performance.

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24/27
Franck Ribery - 6

Outshone by his partner in crime Robben – the Frenchman floated around the pitch testing United’s defence but never really threatened the goal.

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25/27
Thomas Muller - 6

Drifted from his centre forward position – perhaps as part of Guardiola’s plan – but failed to impact the game before being replaced by Mandzukic.

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26/27
Mario Mandzukic - 7

Made an instant impact off the bench as his delightful cushioned header enabled Schweinsteiger to draw Bayern level.

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27/27
Mario Gotze - 6

The youngster had little influence on the game after being introduced for the final 15 minutes – will hope Schweinsteiger’s suspension will allow him to play a greater part in the second leg.

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That is as far as the optimism runs, though. The last time United battened down the hatches quite like this here was for the semi-final nearly six years ago when a Paul Scholes strike put paid to the Barcelona side which Guardiola was about to take over. The significant difference being that United had already taken a goalless draw from the Nou Camp on that occasion.

Tuesday night may be the last Old Trafford sees of occasions like this for a time and United felt like a club living on their history, milking it for one more time. Commentary clips from the 1999 final were the stadium soundtrack in the countdown to what could be the last great European night here for a year – or maybe years. What happened when United and Bayern went to work was not how Giggs probably imagined seeing things out during those storied years on the Continent.

He was an isolated figure for the half of football that he lasted, barely encountering the ball in a first half-hour during which Bayern rolled into United in waves, let alone shaping the game to his design. This is a man who is now one game behind Raul’s record of 142 in the competition, so you don’t need much imagination to work out how he will feel about leaving the stage at half-time in what might be his last home European game.

The Bayern team that eliminated United at this stage four years ago have certainly changed a bit, but so have United. Hard to imagine that Sir Alex Ferguson’s players were 3-0 up in 41 minutes in the second leg of that tie, with a team which featured five of Tuesday's starters.

The chances of sending an immediate seismic shock across the continent vanished with the revelation of a starting line-up in which Adnan Januzaj was absent. So was Shinji Kagawa, the threat of whose link-up play with Wayne Rooney three days ago suggested that he might be one of the more attacking option.

Moyes, wearing black, had said that caution must be a byword and that his side were in survival mode was evident. The technical area choreography told the story: Guardiola flapping and jumping like a guy with the lollipops on an airport runway; Moyes doing his feeding-the-ducks impression, jabbing his hand at the pitch and ushering his team forward. But not too far for forward.

Vidic’s goal finally brought the kind of ignition to the stadium which that 2008 April night against Barcelona is remembered for. “United till I die,” they sang.

But while Ferguson was remembering in print only this week how he would always engage in a game of “gamble and risk” in the last 15 minutes if the course of a European tie weighed against United, there was no sign of Januzaj when the lead was cancelled out after a mere eight minutes. United did not come back at Bayern again.

“I like to see a part of myself in teams,” Ferguson said. “They’ve mirrored me in terms of determination and attitude.” Times have changed at Old Trafford.